Sunday Times: Glittering prizes await the education giants

From The Sunday Times January 10, 2010 http://tiny.cc/Ojwoc James Ashton

The private sector is expecting a bonanza from supplying schools.

ON a blustery winter’s day, only the hardiest of pupils at the Milton Keynes Academy have strayed out at morning break. But even those milling around in the corridor can see through the tall windows that the bulldozer at the edge of their playing fields has not paused to relax with them.

Piece by piece, its metal claw is dismantling the academy’s predecessor: a failing school shut down last July because of poor results and attendance. In its place stands a modern education centre for up to 1,500 pupils, with wooden panels and sweeping curves that make it airy and light.

Read article http://tiny.cc/Ojwoc

Glitz, money, private sector involvement etc may give us new builds. Sadly it won’t transform education or raise the quality of learning for our youngsters. When will government appreciate that learning can only occur with learners. Learners need control over their learning and learning pathways, they need to be motivated, engaged and supported to meet their own agendas. This means high quality relationships that provide support, guidance and challenge for the learner agenda not some pre-packaged drip fed national curriculum.